The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) recognizes the results of surveys by various research institutions and uses the data to further enhance the Department’s programs and services, an agency official said on Monday (April 28).
“We recognize the result of this survey and we use this as a listening tool to assess the implementation of the various programs of the Department that aim to alleviate poverty,” Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao, the DSWD spokesperson, said in an interview over ONE News Morning Matters.
According to Asst. Secretary Dumlao, the DSWD utilizes the information from survey results such as the latest Stratbase-Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey and compares it with other statistical information to assess the efficacy of its programs.
The Stratbase-SWS survey, conducted from April 11 to 15, revealed that 55 percent or more than half of Filipino families considered themselves poor.
“This statistical information also motivates us to innovate more and develop other programs that would contribute to reducing poverty, hunger, and malnutrition in our country,” the DSWD spokesperson told the program anchor.
Some of the DSWD anti-poverty alleviation programs highlighted by Asst. Secretary Dumlao were the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps); Walang Gutom Program (WGP), formerly the Food Stamp Program; Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP); and the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS).
The DSWD spokesperson also discussed the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) and Ayuda sa Kapos Ang Kita Program (AKAP) as social safety nets that respond to shocks and emergencies, which can affect the level of well-being of individuals and families.
The DSWD, as mentioned by Asst. Secretary Dumlao, ensures that its programs complement each other as well as similar programs of other government agencies to better achieve President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr’s vision of a single-digit poverty incidence by 2028.
“So, you see, nagco-complement yung iba’t ibang programs and services of the DSWD and other government agencies, that’s why we adopt a whole-of-government approach in addressing yung problems on poverty,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao pointed out. (YADP)